Centre Visit – Neath Port Talbot ~College (Friday 21 February 2012)
Although this visit took place at Neath Port Talbot College (NPTC), and the
opportunity took place for discussion regarding the centre relationship its focus was:


1
to meet with colleges that wish to offer / are offering qualifications through the
medium of Welsh;
take advice on their needs and agree a realistic action plan.
Item
Present:
Fran Green (NPTC – Deputy Director of
Curriculum)
Alan Webster (NPTC – Exams)
Alison Jones (NPTC – Bilingual Manager)
Carys Swain (Bridgend College)
Margaret Razak (Coleg Sir Gar + VTCT EV)
Catrin Stephens (Director of Bilingualism,
ColegauCymru)
Web Conference – Coleg Menai
Lesley Tipping
Donna Dobson
Anna Williams
Bethan Wynn
VTCT
Gary Mitchell
Peter Downey
Su Brakewell
2
Apologies – ISA
3
Huw Davies (NPTC) Quality Assurance Director
spent a short time talking with SB and GM and
confirmed that he received the EV reports and
discussed them with the Curriculum Board.
4
Is Welsh or Welsh / English used for hair and
beauty provision.
All centres present confirmed that they used either
Welsh or bilingual teaching. It was confirmed that
this was the case for ISA and other colleges
Coleg Menai has 80% learners where Welsh is
their first language..
Action
Item
5
6
Action
Current Issues for VTCT

the translation of the test papers and the
ROAs are literal and are not in context to the
vocational area
The proofing of ROAs and
test papers needs to be
done by a vocational
expert to enable
contextualisation (VTCT)
Coleg Cymru will seek to
place an article in their
next circulation looking for
prospective Welsh
vocational specialists

the ROAs are not available for all the
qualifications where they have been
requested
Priority Qualification list
needed for academic year
2012 – 2013 Welsh
Colleges)

the ROAs that are available did not arrive
until half way through the programme
ROAs in the medium of
Welsh need to be
available for the start of
the year and dispatched to
centres within 5 days of
order (VTCT)

test papers were not the same e.g. client
consultation the number of questions and
the time differ
VTCT – Kat Auger Fisher
Issues for Welsh Colleges that VTCT need to be
aware of:


legal requirement for 14 – 16 yr olds to have
qualification delivery and assessment
through the medium of Welsh
Welsh Government contracts require the
assessment of qualifications be available in
the medium of Welsh
VTCT to note when
developing qualifications
to be offered in Wales.
Ashley Barnes
Item
7
8
Action
Priority Qualifications identified as:









VRQ level 1 Diploma 500/8707/1
VRQ level 2 Diploma in hairdressing
VRQ level 2 Diploma in beauty
VRQ level 3 Diploma in hairdressing
VRQ level 3 Diploma in beauty
NVQ level 2 Diploma in hairdressing
NVQ level 2 Diploma in beauty
NVQ level 3 Diploma in hairdressing
NVQ level 3 Diploma in beauty

Candidate Handbook
VTCT to agree the
clarification of the
qualification with QAN
number to Fran (NPTC),
Lesley (Coleg Menai),
Carys (Bridgend)
A discussion was had regarding bilingual vs Welsh
translation.
The costliness of bilingual translation vs Welsh and
English ROAs indicates that the latter is the route
forward.
A bilingual glossary is a minimum need.
The current glossary belongs to Skilliath
Kathryn Stephens to
liaise with Skilliath
Hair done but needs updating – centres have been
doing this ad hoc
Beauty – there has never been a beauty glossary
9
Centres suggest that we translate the glossary in
the current handbooks as a bilingual resource
VTCT
Resources available for teaching:
Colleges to attempt to get
a user group together to
share good practice in
teaching and learning
through the medium of
Welsh and bilingually
Lesley noted that Habia have teaching materials
that centres can buy L2 Hair resources, including
powerpoint, teaching activities
10 Runa had mentioned developing an App for
translation but this had not been circulated
VTCT – Runa McNamara
to give feedback
Item
Action
11 Other Issues
Level 4 – in Wales Laser and Pulse Light have not
been deregulated, therefore candidates cannot
undertake this qualification as this is a mandatory
unit.
VTCT – Ashley Barnes
can IPL unit be removed
from mandatory and
replaced by an
alternative unit
12 Learner Area Programmes (LAPs)
From 2014 the method of funding 14 – 19
Core: Welsh Baccalaureate + Essential Skills
Main Qualification: (What the learner has really
come to learn)
Additional Quals: (help learner get work or
progression)
Additional Requirements: e.g. work placements on
childcare programmes
Max contact per year 700 hours / main qual approx
70% (490 hrs)
DfES are about to enter discussions with AOs and
SSCs
Important document: 14 – 19 Learning Core
It includes maths and English
13 Centres spoke highly of their experience with the
teams in VTCT and Lyle and Zoe came in for
special mention.
Su to circulate to
managers.